How To Dye Your Hair at Home

Nearly 40% of women color their own hair at home and, why not, when it’s much cheaper than going to a salon, and a lot more convenient too. But, home hair coloring can go wrong, or just not come up to your expectations. So, if you are experienced at home hair coloring, or if you are a newbie to home hair dye and are worried about turning your hair to a bright shade of orange, then read these ten must-know tips on how to dye your hair at home:

1. Read the instructions!

Don’t assume that you know best, always read the instructions carefully and follow them to the letter. Different manufacturers have different application instructions and those instructions are there for a reason.

2. Don’t dye freshly washed hair

Another good tip on how to dye your hair at home is to avoid coloring freshly washed hair. Hair dye works best on hair that was washed a couple of days ago. If you wash your, hair just before you color it, then the dye can cause scalp irritation, because there will be none of your natural oils there to protect it.

3. Always do a strand test

Next useful tip on how to dye your hair at home is to always test the dye on a few strands of hair before you apply it to the rest. You can test that the shade is right for you by applying the color to a small section of your hair, just behind your ear, where it won’t show if it goes wrong. Remember to check the result in natural light, as well as artificial too.

4 Moisturise before you color

Hair color always takes better to healthy, hydrated hair. So, as well the not washing just before you apply, rule, you also want to keep your hair well-conditioned, if you intend to dye it. This is especially important, if you have naturally dry hair.

5. Keep your skin protected

Hair color can irritate your skin and turn it to a light shade of the color of the dye, so another tip on how to dye your hair at home is to always protect your skin. Wear gloves on your hand, which are usually supplied with the dye and, protect the area of skin, around your hairline, with some Shea butter or Vaseline.

6. Think about quality and quantity

Hair color is one of those things that the more you pay, the better it usually is. Don’t skimp on price, with hair dye and, remember to buy enough dye too.

If your hair is very thick, or any longer than shoulder length, then you will probably need two packs of hair color product.

7. Be careful touching up roots

When you are touching any grey roots that have sprouted, remember to color only the new growth and don’t overlap with the already colored hair. If you do, you can create a dark band of colour, around your hair.

8. Should you dye your hair if you are pregnant?

The advice on this question can be quite confusing with some sources saying a definite ‘no’ to dying your hair when pregnant, while others, say the opposite. The best advice, if you do want to dye your hair when expecting, is to avoid dyes that contain ammonia, don’t dye your locks too often and, even better, just go for highlights. The danger would appear to be, if a lot of dye gets on your scalp and is absorbed by the skin.

9. Take care of your colored hair

Here is another tip on how to dye your hair at home: it is best not to wash newly colored for at least twenty four hours, or some of the color may wash out. After that, choose shampoo and conditioners that are marked color-friendly.

10. What’s best left to the experts?

Who’s to say who is and who is not an expert? But if you are new to hair coloring, then it is probably best to leave really drastic changes in hair color to the salon, and highlights can be pretty tricky to get right too.